Chapter 13 SHARE A ROOM........
ERICA'S POV
I didn’t realize when those words slipped from my lips, it took me a second to register what I had just freaking said.
Aaron, on the other hand, smiled. Then, in one swift motion, swish!—he lifted me up, throwing me over his shoulder like a sack of flour. My stomach pressed against him while my hair fell wildly down his back.
“Put me down! Hey!” I shouted, pounding my fists against him, but Aaron ignored me completely.
The waiters and waitresses at the restaurant stared, smiling from ear to ear like they were watching some romantic comedy.
What the hell? Did they think we were a couple? Absolutely not.
“Wait! I take it back!” I yelled, my voice echoing through the room.
Aaron just laughed, a low, throaty cackle that sent chills racing down my spine.
Moments later, a sleek black car sped up to the curb. The driver stepped out, opened the back door, and without a word, Aaron shoved me inside, not gently, either.
“You asshole!” I screamed, glaring at him, but he only tossed a wad of cash to the driver. “To the hotel,” he ordered. The driver bowed and drove off immediately.
I stared at Aaron from the passenger seat. He didn’t say a word, just drove quietly, his eyes flicking to me now and then, through the rearview mirror.
I cleared my throat, brushing my hair back to cover how uneasy I felt. His silence was heavy, pressing. Why was he so interested in knowing what I was to Serra anyway?
Aaron back then… he’d always been the one who kept his mouth shut while Giselle and Carter spat poison. The only time he ever spoke up was to defend me. I never really understood what his feelings meant, or if he even understood them himself.
“So, Celina… she means that much to you?” I asked finally, my tone laced with teasing curiosity.
He didn’t answer. Just kept his eyes on the road, jaw tight.
I rolled my eyes and exhaled sharply. “Gosh, you’re so damn annoying now, even after your little glow-up.”
A low chuckle escaped him, dark and unexpected. It startled me, but I kept my face composed.
“Since when did you start fcking anything that walks?” I threw back, my voice bold, testing him.
He grinned, slow, deliberate, yet dangerous. “Hmm. I can fck whoever I want. You’re no different.”
I scoffed, letting out a short, sarcastic laugh. “I’m not something you can just fck, Aaron. You sound just like Carter. I mean—” I hesitated, correcting myself, “—Celina would be disappointed.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment, just looked away, his knuckles tightening on the wheel.
Then he muttered, low and bitter, “Celina’s no different from those girls. Carter fcked her too.”
The air in the car turned razor-sharp. My jaw clenched at his words.
He wasn’t wrong.
But hearing it from him… cut deeper than I expected.
I turned to the window, staring at the blur of city lights outside, pretending they were enough to drown out the ache in my chest.
I was naive back then. Too trusting. Too blind.
And somehow, even now, I could still feel the ghost of his gaze on me through that mirror.
When we arrived, my legs refused to move. I could only stare at the glowing hotel sign in disbelief. Was he really doing this?
He opened the door and looked down at me. Not a word, just that cold, commanding gaze. And as always, my body betrayed me. I obeyed.
The name of the hotel blurred before my eyes. That day.
(FLASHBACK-TEN YEARS AGO)
I was back there.
I remembered standing in this same spot years ago, frozen while my friends laughed.
“Come on, join us!” Giselle called, her tone teasing.
I just stared at the ground, unable to move or speak.
“What’s wrong?” Aurora asked, frowning.
Before I could answer, Carter’s hands landed on my shoulders. I jumped, looking up at him. That smile....too wide, too charming....made my pulse and heart race.
“Celina doesn’t want to come in,” Giselle said, smirking.
“Innocent?” Carter asked, mocking.
“No,” I muttered quietly, desperate for his attention. My phone buzzed in my pocket....Aaron’s regular reminder about curfew, but I ignored it.
“Then let’s go,” Carter said and intertwined his fingers with mine. My heart skipped. Giselle and Aurora followed us inside.
Back then, I wanted to enjoy teenage life. But I was too quiet, too eager to please, too afraid of being left out. I let people walk over me just so I wouldn’t be alone.
We had lodged a room. Guys joined later, drinks flowed, music pounded. Giselle kissed a few of them while I sat quietly, pretending to have fun. But Carter’s eyes stayed on me.
It got too much. I felt suffocated and slipped out onto the terrace for air.
Then—Giselle sneaked up behind me and shoved lightly.
“Ah!” I screamed. We were on the third floor, one push, I slip and I'm dead.
“Come on, scaredy-cat! I wasn’t going to push you!” she laughed, loud and cruel.
I smiled weakly, pretending I believed her as I didn’t want to lose a friend.
Then Aaron called.
“Where are you? You’re making me worry,” his voice trembled through the phone.
“I’m with Giselle and Aurora. I’ll be back soon,” I said, my voice quiet.
He sighed, disappointed. “You don’t want to stay. I can hear it. Celina, learn to say no before people walk all over you.”
My lips parted, but before I could respond, Giselle snatched the phone.
“She’s with us, fck off!” she snapped and laughed.
I didn’t say anything. I just sat there, silent, pressing my lips together.
“Give the phone back to Celina,” Aaron said, his tone firm. Giselle handed it back.
“Do you want to leave or stay?” he asked.
My lips trembled but Giselle rolled her eyes and mouthed, Us or Aaron?
My heart pounded, my hands shook.
I didn’t want to lose my friends. I didn’t want to disappoint him either.
“No,” I whispered finally.
Reality crashed back.
I gasped, blinking rapidly, trying to shake off the memories. My breath came heavy, uneven.
Aaron was still there, his gaze fixed on me....cold, knowing. He’d brought me here on purpose.
I tried to mask my panic, but my legs wobbled. This place held too many ghosts. Too many regrets.
“I need to go home,” I said quickly, turning to leave. “I’m tired.”
Aaron chuckled softly. “You could book a room. There’s a hotel right here,” he said, like a challenge.
If I left now, he’d know something was wrong.
“Fine,” I muttered.
He smiled, walking toward the entrance. I hesitated, then followed. The towering building loomed above us like a shadow.
“Room 12,” the receptionist said, handing over the key.
My mind was far away, my body on autopilot. Every hallway, every turn dragged old memories to the surface.
A girl had jumped from this hotel years ago. I’d seen it happen. I’d tried to stop her, but she just looked at me, tears streaming down her face.
“They posted it anyway,” she’d whispered. “You’re no different from them. You watched it all.”
And then she jumped.
I froze. Tears burned my eyes as guilt twisted deep in my chest.
I remembered Carter’s voice, sharp and panicked: “You saw nothing!”
“Hey. Daydreaming?”
Aaron’s voice snapped me back. His hands settled on my shoulders, and I flinched. He studied my face closely.
“What do you know about this place?” he asked quietly.
My heart skipped. I couldn’t let him see through my mask.
“Don’t people fck here? How could I not know?” I said with a forced laugh.
Aaron didn’t react. He just held up the key.
“You do know we’re sharing a room, right?” he asked, his tone unreadable.
I smiled faintly. “Of course.”
I took two steps forward, then froze, the words finally hit me.
Sharing a room… with Aaron.
I turned, meeting his gaze. His eyes locked on mine—calm, dark, unreadable.
“Fck no,” I whispered under my breath.